Containing-tube.



G. M. STRATTON.

CONTAINING TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.30. 191s.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

E V V e w w Q p? Z Z WITNESSES v E N R o T T A ma NORRIS PETERS co. PHOTC-L/THO WASHINGTON, o. c.

GEORGE M. STRATTON, 0F NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

CONTAINING-TUBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed August 30, 1913. Serial N0. 787,452.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. STRATTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Containing-Tubes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a tube constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of a similar tube.

For the purpose of supplying physicians, surgeons and dentists with certain articles, such as ligatures, in an absolutely aseptic condition, such articles may be inclosed within a hermetically sealed glass tube which may or may not, as desired, be filled with an antiseptic liquid such as alcohol, and when so inclosed, the ligature or other article may be kept for any length of time in a thoroughly aseptic state. When it is desired to make use of the article, the tube may be broken by the operator and the contents removed therefrom. Furthermore, thetics or other solutions may be conveniently supplied in similar tubes, which may be fractured in a similar manner when it is desired to liberate the contents.

It is the custom of many physicians and surgeons to boil or otherwise sterilize the containing tubes before breaking the same, and it is therefore necessary to provide a tube which can undergo such boiling without breaking or cracking while hermetically sealed and frequently While containing a liquid. Furthermore, for the purpose of facilitating the easy fracture of the tube without danger to the operator various means,

such as providing the tube with a peripheral file cut, have been employed and it is especially desirable that the means made use of to-accomplish this result shall be of such a nature that the fracture of the tube shall take place without splintering or powdering the glass, in order to avoid the possibility of particles of glass becoming mixed with the contents of the tube.

(ILIIGS' The principal objects of my invention are, among others, to provide a tube suitable for containing articles similar to ligatures or for containing liquids such as anesthetics, which, while hermetically sealed, may be boiled or otherwise sterilized without danger of breaking, and in addition having means to facilitate the fracture of the tube in the vicinity of a given point when it is desired to withdraw the contents.

Further objects are to provide a tube for such purposes which shall fracture cleanly and without a tendency to powder or splinter the glass of which it is composed, and which shall not be so weakened in the vicinity of the point at which it is intended to be fractured that it may not be transported and handled without undue danger of breakage.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide such a tube which shall be of pleasing appearance and which may readily be constructed at a minimum cost.

My invention further includes all of the other various novel features and improve ments hereinafter more definitely specified. For the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to construct a tube embodying the features of my invention, I will now proceed to describe one process by which such a tube may be produced, although I do not desire to confine myself to this one process in the manufacture of the said tubes, since they may be produced by any process, method or means adapted for the purpose.

The glass from which the tubes are formed is generally purchased in long lengths of the proper diameter and thick ness, which are cut up into suitable shorter pieces adapted for the formation of a tube of any desired size. One of these short lengths being selected an end, 1, thereof is first closed, as by heating, in the ordinary manner. The wall of the tube is then heated in a suitable flame preferably in proximity to the previously closed end 1, and when the proper condition of plasticity is attained, the end of a thin heated glass rod may be applied to the exterior of the heated portion by the operator, which, uniting at once with the surface of the tube, serves as a sort of handle by means of which a portion of the side wall of the tube may be drawn outwardly, thereby forming a small outwardly extending, protuberance or nub 3 upon the exterior of thetube. The small glass rod may next be separated by any well known method and the tube allowed to cool with or without annealing, as may be desired. The tube is now ready to receive its contents and after the same are introduced therein, the other end, 5, maybe her1net-' ically sealed as by heating in the ordinary manner. v

It will be evident thatithe projectio-n,protuberance or nub 3 may be made either longer or shorter as may be desired, depending upon the place at which the rodls severed, but it has been found in practice, that it is preferable to make the projection comparatively small, so that it is formed practically only from the glass of the tube as opposed to the glass of the rod. It will be further evident that the projection, protuberance or nub 3 may be drawn out in such manner that it will stand either approximately vertical to thelongitudinal axis of the tube, or in angular relation thereto. It

has been found in practice, however, that the best results are accomplished when the nub is so formed that it is in angular relation with the said axis, and extendsin a direction away from that end of the tube nearest to which it is located.

It will be evidentthat the drawing out of a portion of the glass comprising the wall of the tube to form the nub 3 will have the effect of weakening and thinning the wall of the tube in the vicinity of the said nub, whereby, if the nub be smartly struck with a hard object, such as a paper knife, or even a lead pencil, in a direction approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, the 'tubewill be caused to fracture in the vicinity of the base of the nub 3 so that the end of the tube'l will separate'from the remainder of the tube and permit the withdrawal of the contents. Furthermore, it has been found in practice, that the fracture so occurring will be a comparatively clean one, and that there is but little or no tendency to splinter or powder the glass composing the tube. v

A further advantage of a tube constructed as'illustrated in the drawing, residesin the fact that when the tube is fractured only the end thereof is separated from the body portion, and as these'tubes are frequently used for the purpose of containing liquids, as well as solid articles, the'breaking of the tube near the end, if the tube be held in an upright position the reverse of that shown in the drawing, avoids the possibility of spilling thecontents. It will be understood,

however, that if desired, the nub 3 may be formed at any point upon the exterior of the tube, and that I do not confine myself to forming the projection in the position illustrated in the drawing. Furthermore, I do not deslre to confine myself to the "formation of the projection solely in the manner herein described,as it will be evident that any other means, method or process suitable for the purpose may be made use of as may be found convenient or desirable. Nor vdo I desire to confine myself solely to'the useof a tube of the shape or configuration herein illustrated and described, as it will be evident that various changes may be made therein as well as in the shape, location and method of formation of the projection, vwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Paltent of the United States: i i

1. As'an article of manufacture, a containing tube having a body and a nub extending beyond I the exterior surface thereof,

the wall of :said body inthe vicinity ofthe base of said nub being renderedfthinnerlthan the thinnest part of the wall of said nub.

2. As an article of manufacture, a glass containing tube having an integral nub drawn outwardly from the main :wallthereofand in angular relation with vthe longitudinal axis of the tube, said main wall ad jacent the base of the'nub'being rendered said nub forming with each other anangle less than a right angle and the-main wallof said body portion adjacent the baseof said nub forming arregion relatively more frangible than any portion of said nub,

4:. As an article of manufacture, a fran gible containing tube comprising a longitudinally extending body portion and an outwardly extending nub-formed integral therewith near one end thereof andgextending in a direction away from said-end, the

main wall of saidbody portion having a region adjacent the base of said nub relatively more frangible than any part of: said nub. l: v j

' 5. As an article of manufacture, a 100D- taining tube having-abody portion and an integrally angular-1y outwardly extending my hand this 27th day of August, A. D. nub drawn fron; the Wlll of said body por- 1913. tion, the Wall 0 said ody portion, in contradistinction to the Wall of said nub, being GEORGE STRATTON' thinner adjacent the base of said nub than WVitnesses: any part of the Wall of said nub. MARY E. STRATTON,

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set ETTA. S. RUFFEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or ratents,

Washington, D. C.

Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1,126,909.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,126,909, granted February 2, 1915, upon the application of George M. Stratton, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, for an improvement in Containing-Tubes, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 5, after the word extending insert the Word projection and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of March, A. 1)., 1915.

[sEAn] J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

